Pureblood Half-blood, Red blood Mudblood

[lilian_cho]

I have ranted talked about this to ruien, rea_saint, albichorizon, disarming_smile (closing the MSN window immediately afterward, therefore losing my brilliant exposition) and, most recently, baeraad.

So I figured I should articulate it on LJ to stop repeating myself.

The disjointed "logic" of HP books is frustrating to readers, but more so to fanfic writers who have to reconcile canon facts

Comments

[jad]

I've too much to do to properly read all that and respond as such at the moment, I'll touch on it later. I will say, however, I've noticed that half-bloods seem to be the power in the wizarding world - something I'm expanding on in my fic. I think it's rather cool, actually, and one of those subtle hints she's been dropping from the beginning.

life span

[lilian_cho]

Dunno, I figured this is another one of those things where her nonexistent Math skills is partly to blame.

Now I'll ramble on a semi-related subject:

She said Wizarding folks live much longer than Muggles, but then have the Potters died of natural causes. At least she explained Abraxas Malfoy's early death with dragon pox.

Even the Evans...presumably they died before October 31, 1981 since Dumbledore sicced baby Harry to the Dursleys. Even as Muggles, that's a terribly terribly short lifespan, don't you think? They're probably only in their fifties.

powerful half-bloods

[lilian_cho]

I have enjoyed some of the explanations fanfic writers come up with re: half-bloods' powers (and life span!). I probably should shut up and wait to see if you come up with something brand new? :-)

And what subtle hints are you referring to?

Re: powerful half-bloods

[jad]

Lol. Yes, I dunno if you'll like it, but let's just say Voldemort's on to it, and you haven't seen the last of the The Mirror of Riapsed; it was put in for a reason >:D

Just all the hints she's dropped through the books about everything thatlead to some end; Snape's animosity for Harry (and his father really being a bully), Ginny ending up with Harry, Draco actually having purpose besides the stupid banter and picking-on-Harryness. Speaking of which, even though it didn't end well and isn't likely too, I'm still glad JKR actually used his character for something other than sticks-and-stones name-calling ^_^

[baeraad]

1. JKR has hammered it over our heads again and again that blood discrimination is just like racism.
As ruien pointed once, that would make more sense if she had not simultaneously demonstrated that magic is in the blood.

Hahaha, yes! :D She's trying to preach against racisim at the same time as she's trying to invoke feelings of tribalism, of "our people" and "those other people." She sort of managed to combine those things in the Houses, which are tribal but not based on who your parents were, but then she ruined it by having children usually enter their parents' House.

They treat Muggles like exotic zoo animals, not someone equal to them, no matter what JKR wants us to believe.I think I get this one. JKR's idea is that Muggles are the grownups, who care about boring things like making drills. The wizards are eternal children, who dress gaudily and care about fun things like dragons. And the readers (who were assumed to be mostly children, before JKR's ego got too large and she decided that she was writing about the Eternal

Wizards v. Muggles, blood purity

[lilian_cho]

She's trying to preach against racisim at the same time as she's trying to invoke feelings of tribalism, of "our people" and "those other people." She sort of managed to combine those things in the Houses, which are tribal but not based on who your parents were, but then she ruined it by having children usually enter their parents' House.

Yep. And fitting people into four boxes based on their personality when they're 11 y.o. is just as stupid as racial segregation. Also, the Hat seems v. susceptible to student opinions--why else would Hermione be sorted into Gryffindor instead of Ravenclaw? She wants to be in Gryffindor because that's supposedly Dumbledore's House.

JKR's idea is that Muggles are the grownups, who care about boring things like making drills. Hmm...so Mr. Weasley is like a child playing grown-up. I see what you mean

Re: Wizards v. Muggles, blood purity

[baeraad]

Also, the Hat seems v. susceptible to student opinions

It is, isn't it, thereby giving Rowling a chance to talk ponderously about us being defined by our choices. Honestly, there's a reason why there are things kids just aren't allowed to do, and never mind what they say they want - it's beacuse it takes a while before someone is old enough to know what they want, and see the implications of it.

I've got a rant brewing about the use of free will in fiction, which is based at least partly on Rowling. Let's see if I can produce something that I'm not ashamed to post... =]

It disturbs me how HP villains is so...Roald Dahl. But in Roald Dahl it's expected because it never pretends to be real :-3

I was quite fond of Roald Dahl when I was a kid. :) And yeah, his villains fit his stories, as they were purposefully silly stories. =]

I'm ashamed to admit that before I got involved in fandom, I assumed that HP is third-person pov instead of Harry's biased pov. Don't be. JKR agrees with Harry 100% often enough to justify the mistake. The

Oops...

[albichorizon]

My mistake, it is deathtocapslock

It's my weekly dose of sistermagpie and mistful has started commenting on the entries recently.

[anyotherknight]

I love you so much for writing this. These are exactly the reasons why I refuse to accept JKR as an author. I like her universe very much, and would possibly even forgive her her terrible prose and cliches if her works weren't so riddled with continuity errors and thematic paradoxes.

I think partly it may be that she began writing this by herself, and since her sudden rise to popularity feels she has "outgrown" her editors. She's blinded from the forest by the trees.

[lilian_cho]

Hee. *loves back*

I don't question her world-building, but GAH the Mathematical impossibilities!
She probably doesn't reread her books before churning the next one X_x;;

We have to thank her nonexistent Math skills though for the 13 y.o. Pureblood fathers :-D

[anyotherknight]

It burns my brain. D:

By the way. Um. I have this fic started and even though you're not in the fandom I'm kinda proud of it. So, uh, someday, if you have time? Please don't feel pressured, though. I won't be offended if you don't read it. :D

[albichorizon]

<3 <3 <3

You make me want to organize all my memories and bookmarks so that I can find this on a moments notice. :)

I've been in a cynical turn of mind lately, ever since the last book was announced. I was discussing my less then enthusiastic response to the news of DH with a friend recently. She asked if there was any mention that JKR might another book. My internal responses was 'Hasn't she done enough already?"

1. Oh dear, simple logic. It goes like this: Blood doesn't matter, except when the author finds it convient when it does matter.

2. Cynical view The problem with the Weasley's is that they believe thier own propaganda. Rational input The best explination that I have heard about Mr. Weasley is that he acts like a man who has taken up Muggles as a new hobby. He hasn't been studying them for long, therefore he doesn't know much about them. This makes some sense, yet he doesn't seem to learn much from Harry and Hermione and others as the years pass by.

wanders off-topicAlso remember Barty Crouch, Sr.? He was all

[lilian_cho]

*loves back*

Hee :-D *is flattered*

I did talk to you about this before, right? Over MSN once upon a time?

My internal responses was 'Hasn't she done enough already?"

She shouldn't bother, really. I highly doubt she'll write anything anywhere as famous as HP. If I were her, every few years after Book Seven I'd publish a HP character memoir/adventures...starting with Snape *g*
And maybe "Rowena Ravenclaw's Diary: The Years Leading to Salazar Slytherin's Departure."
But leave the future alone (nothing after 1998)--so no Mary Sue child of Harry/Ginny X_x;;

Blood doesn't matter, except when the author finds it convient when it does matter.

And Dumblie's circular logic about Harry's power...HBP ran counter to OotP. But I've given up on trying to understand Harry's supposed "Power that the Dark Lord knows not."
JKR just doesn't reread her books D:

he acts like a man who has taken up Muggles as a new hobby. He hasn't been studying them for long, therefore he doesn't know much about them. This makes some sense, yet he doesn't seem to

[ajat]

why half-bloods (Voldemort, Snape, Harry) are so powerful

It's called 'hybrid vigour'. *Giggle* Ask any farmer.

X-D

[lilian_cho]

lol

<3

You might be right ;-)